News broke today that Villa's latest academy graduate to experience first-team football, Jacob Ramsey, has signed a four and a half year deal with the club keeping him in claret and blue till 2025.
After making his professional debut for his boyhood club back in January 2019 in a 2-0 home defeat to local rivals West Brom in the Championship, Ramsey's impression on Dean Smith proved to be a lasting one.
Ramsey has since gained valuable experience in the form of a loan spell with Doncaster Rovers in January 2020, which saw him play seven games and score three goals in League One before the season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 outbreak last March.
Since returning to his club, the Great Barr born star has been firmly around the first team and since made his Premier League debut in Villa's first game of the season away to Fulham as a substitute, started his first Premier League game in a 0-1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and featured recently as a substitute against Manchester City and Arsenal.
Jacob is also a regular in the England U20's squad, playing as much football as he is at a high level is a great testament to both his current ability and his potential for years to come.
Only 12 months ago Ramsey signed a three and a half year deal with the club, offering him a new and improved deal a year later signals the clubs' ambition for nurturing top young talents from the fabled halls of Bodymoor Heath.
Retaining club captain Jack Grealish and signing him up with a five-year contract last summer, accompanied with the drastic improvements on the pitch which has already seen Villa achieve last seasons points tally only 21 games into a season, all whilst sat 9th in the Premier League - makes Villa an attractive place to be right now.
Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens' lofty ambitions for the club are being met with performances on the pitch and important contract negotiations such as Ramsey's are a vital part of the transformation process which Aston Villa are currently undergoing right now.